Microcogeneration and Polygeneration for Building in Mild Climate

This paper deals with two Micro Combined Cooling,Heating and Power systems based on differenttechnologies: Electric Heat Pump, EHP, andDesiccant Wheel, DW.In a test facility an intense experimental analysis hasbeen carried out on a EHP driven by a MicroCogenerator, MCHP: it can provide 20% savings inprimary energy and a reduction of equivalent CO2equal to 25% compared to separate production. Asimilar MCHP/EHP system has been installed in anoffice building located in the South of Italy in orderto evaluate the “on site” performances.Furthermore an HVAC system based on a desiccantwheel coupled to a cogenerator, MCHP/HVAC-DW,has been analyzed too: it consists of amicrocogenerator that supplies electricity to an aircooled water chiller and thermal energy to regeneratea desiccant wheel integrated in an air-handling unit.These applications are referred to mild climatelocations in South Italy, with the aim to evaluate theirpotential employment in building conditioningsystems.Test facilities, with their measurement systems,designed and built to evaluate performances in actualoperating condition are described too.